


Release Your Inhibitions

by Pedestriansquirrel



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-27 22:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13258326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pedestriansquirrel/pseuds/Pedestriansquirrel
Summary: Excerpt: All of these unconventional ways of showing affection seemed to work quite well for the both of them, until something about their relationship changed.This change was displayed in the tiniest glint of silver from the chain Phil wore around his neck that, unknown to anyone else, contained a gift, a gift that was given after Dan had proposed in mid-October.





	Release Your Inhibitions

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” which I actually sang for my sixth grade graduation, so while it fits the fic, it also brings up very cringe memories lmao.

Due to their status, Dan and Phil didn’t have many places where they could show affection in a typical way, like holding hands or having an arm wrapped around a shoulder. They had their own ways of demonstrating their love that, to the average passerby, seemed like nothing.

A simple pat on the shoulder or poke on the side seemed to convey the same message. Sometimes, Phil would offer to carry all of the bags from the shop, or Dan would buy Phil something sweet, even when Phil hadn’t asked.

Each time this happened, the message was clear to the both of them; it was an indication of their love, though they never really needed the reassurance. There was never any doubt, even on the worst days.

It was knowing exactly what the other person wanted at the movie theater without having to ask. It was Phil buying ingredients for a new recipe he wanted to surprise Dan with but making sure to find a substitution for the parts Dan didn’t like. It was the ability to plan a date and be certain that the other would love it.

This arrangement wasn’t always perfect, but it worked for them. Even when they went out to fancy restaurants, where they assumed the clientele was highly unlikely to contain fans, they still felt the need to tone down their emotions. That didn’t, however, mean that these emotions were absent. Their feelings were hidden in suggestions of “I think you would love this meal” and “we should share this dessert.” They were hidden in a hand on a lower back for a fraction of a second, because they were feeling particularly crazy that day.

All of these unconventional ways of showing affection seemed to work quite well for the both of them, until something about their relationship changed.This change was displayed in the tiniest glint of silver from the chain Phil wore around his neck that, unknown to anyone else, contained a gift, a gift that was given after Dan had proposed in mid-October. The smile on Phil’s face each time he snuck a peek at it made Dan fall just a bit more in love with the man that he had given his affection to for so many years. This smile made the distinction between the thoughts from Dan’s heart and brain seem to blur. This system had seemed to work well enough in the past, but Dan’s thoughts had started to shift.

By the end of 2016, Dan had decided that he wanted something to change for the better. While they had seemed more loose on boundaries in some videos, it had never really been a conscious decision. It had been a late night, far too exhausted baking video that seemed to shift the demeanor in the videos.

Dan hadn’t really paid attention to the flirtatious atmosphere while filming or even editing the video. Once the video was live, however, each moment was picked apart by fans. Dan was used to this, and it hadn’t bothered him in years. This time was different; he was excited about it.

Maybe it was the fact that Phil had said yes to the proposal, and hiding seemed much more difficult due to Dan’s elation to make everything official. Soon enough, Dan and Phil would stand in front of their friends and family to display their love for each other, so why not show the world?

The thought of being able to show more affection towards Phil on camera made Dan’s heart race in the best way possible. This was how he knew that his desire to be more open to his followers was not temporary. Something needed to change.

Dan knew that he didn’t want to make any sort of formal video or post an official coming out. Generally, Dan wanted everything that he made to be much more precise and calculated than it needed to be, as a way to curb his anxious feelings about the content he created. This time, however, he didn’t want the shock factor. He wanted his actions to seem normal, as they had been acting like that off-camera for years.

Once Dan had come down a bit from the euphoria he had experienced while thinking of the potential to have everything out in the open, he decided to have a conversation with Phil. Dan was completely unsure of how Phil would react, as Dan had been the one to suggest keeping their relationship a secret early on. After talking, they realized what their engagement truly meant about their future and knew how difficult it would be to continue to pretend that their relationship didn’t exist. Both men knew that if they had to actively continue to hide anything that it would just make the joyous occasion seem more stressful.

It was in this moment that they made the mutual decision to let their guard down. They wouldn’t exactly say that they were in a relationship, but they also wouldn’t edit out glances that were possibly a bit too fond. They wouldn’t let themselves become so obsessed with hiding that they had to conscientiously think about every single word that came out of their mouths.

And if, several months down the line, Dan and Phil decided to wear their wedding rings in a video, which may have caused an uproar on Tumblr, then so be it. All that mattered was that they were happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This was my first fic and I hope you enjoyed it!!


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